Nick Saban: Are the Browns an option?

Nick Saban has long been rumored to be a favorite to return to the NFL.

Now that rumor may be even more of a possibility than Alabama fans would like.

While Alabama is playing for their third BCS championship in four years, the Boston Globe is reporting that Michael Lombardi could be the next General Manager of the Browns should aggressive new owner Jimmy Haslam decide to make that happen, and that Nick Saban could be the first coach that the two would go after.

The part of the story that Bama fans won’t enjoy is that apparently Saban has let it be known that should he return to the NFL, it would only be in a certain situation where Michael Lombardi is his General Manager.

According to the NFL sources, Saban has let it be known that if he returns to the NFL — where he flopped, going 15-17 with the Dolphins from 2005-06 — it would likely be with Lombardi playing Pioli to his Belichick.

Nick’s wife Terry strongly denied that her husband had any interest in returning the NFL.

“To answer your question and get right to the point, no,” she said. “We’re very comfortable here. We love it here. It’s a great fit for our family. It’s a good fit for me. As far as we’re concerned, this is where we’ll retire someday.

“As far as jobs go, this is it for us. I don’t mean to be presumptuous. I would have to talk this over with Nick, but as far as I’m concerned, this is it.”

According to the Globe, if Saban doesn’t make the jump back to the NFL, Chip Kelly would be the next college coach considered. Kelly was very close to becoming the Tampa Bay Bucs coach a couple of years ago.